The members of Marcellus & Utica Gas, a group of individuals associated with suppliers, services and manufacturers in the oil and gas industry, have noticed a trend in their field.
“Everything we see is technology related,” says Walt Elmquist, a founding board member of the nonprofit group. “Tech is everything. As we travel the northeast, every company we talk to needs technical people.”
The shift from mechanical to technical skills throughout the oil and gas industry led the MUG members to look for ways to support educational opportunities in oil and gas technology. A group of programs at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford fit the bill perfectly.
MUG has established the MUG Scholarship fund for students enrolled in the university’s petroleum technology program or other energy-related majors, including energy science and technology and energy engineering technology.
MUG comprises individuals in six companies in oil and gas that began coming together for networking events in 2014. The group promotes responsible practices in the oil and gas industry and supports local communities in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York. Each year, the group holds a golf scramble and other events to raise money to donate to organizations in these areas.
“We wanted to put money back into the communities that support oil and gas,” said Zane Johnson, past president of MUG, who visited Pitt-Bradford with Elmquist to tour the new George B. Duke Engineering and Information Technologies Building, which houses the university’s energy and engineering curriculum.
Dr. Ovidiu Frantescu teaches geology and petroleum technology at Pitt-Bradford. “Professional groups like MUG are part of the bloodline of the oil and gas industry,” he said. “These dedicated people are helping the students and recent graduates of our programs not only through their established scholarship funds, but also through their presence at networking events. The professionals at MUG are happy to share with our students their experiences accumulated throughout years of work in the oil and gas field.”
To learn about creating a scholarship at Pitt-Bradford, contact the university’s Office of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement at 814-362-5091 or visit upb.pitt.edu/giving.
--30--